Chicago Coalition Connects
Chapter Newsletter
February 2021
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Dear Chicago Chapter Members,
Welcome to the first 2021 edition of our Chicago Coalition Connects (CCC) series. Our former president, Sonya Rosenberg, spearheaded this platform, and I'm honored to keep the CCC going. When the first stay-at-home order was issued in March 2020, we had no idea that so many of us would still be working remotely. As in-person interactions are still a rarity, it's more important than ever that we continue to stay connected in this virtual world.
On Thursday, March 11, we will be holding the first-ever virtual Managing Partner & General Counsel Forum, a candid conversation about the challenges of promoting diversity in the legal industry and concrete steps for creating real, positive change in the post-COVID world. Be sure to register today for what will be an engaging discussion.
Our Programming Committee continues to develop timely, informative, and thoughtful programming, including upcoming webinars on Law Firm Economics (Wednesday, March 3) and Recognizing Burnout (date TBA). And our Associates Committee will join the New York and Washington, D.C. chapters to co-host a Virtual Trivia Event on Thursday, February 25.
The Chicago Chapter also acknowledges and celebrates Black History Month, an annual celebration of African Americans' achievements and a time for recognizing Black people's central role in U.S. history. Some Black History Month resources "to assist each of us to become more aware, compassionate, constructive, engaged people in the quest for racial equity" include the Black Lawyers in America town hall series and the ABA-Wide 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge. Our Outreach and Inclusion co-chairs, Gray Mateo-Harris (Fox Rothschild LLP) and Avanti Bakane (Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP) are creating programming related to the ABA's "Visible Invisibility" study and the experiences of women lawyers of color.
Finally, we recognize the historic election of Kamala Harris, the United States' first female, first African American, and first Asian American vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history. In our Member Spotlight, Jacqueline Nyenke (One Seven Law) talks about what the election of Vice President Harris means to her.
--Malaika, President of the Chicago Chapter
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Chicago Chapter Membership Renewal |
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Now is the time to renew your membership with the Coalition! For membership information and the option to pay securely online, please visit the membership page on our Chapter website. If you have questions about your membership status, or need to request paperwork to pay by check, please email us at chicago@thewomenscoalition.com.
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Managing Partner &
General Counsel Forum
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Thursday, March 11 (5:00pm CT) |
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After saying goodbye to 2020 and as we look forward to 2021 and beyond, we are reminded of the Coalition’s core mission to support and promote women lawyers. Unfortunately, statistics show that the retention of diverse, female talent is still a tremendous issue, particularly at law firms. Please join us for this candid conversation with national leaders about the challenges of promoting diversity in the legal industry and concrete steps for creating real, positive change in the post-Covid world. We look forward to having many Managing Partners, General Counsels and our member attorneys – women and men – join us for this important program. Register today!
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Panelists include:
Joel Unruch, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Accenture
Sherina Maye Edwards, Chief Executive Officer, INTREN
Phil West, Chair, Steptoe & Johnson
Michael E. Martinez, Chicago Managing Partner, K&L Gates
and Chair of The Chicago Committee
Leila Hock, Director, Legal Department Partnerships &
Inclusion Initiatives, Diversity Lab
The program will be moderated by Sonya Rosenberg, Neal Gerber Eisenberg LLP.
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Jacqueline Nyenke
Co-Chair of Finance Committee
Why did you join the Coalition?
To meet other women attorneys practicing in diverse areas.
Give us your elevator speech… or “Call me if you have…”
Call me if you are considering angel investing or joining the Board of an emerging company.
Tell us something interesting about you that people may not know.
I started the first professional sorority at my alma mater, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. It is a pre-law sorority focused on informational meetings with practitioners, law school application preparation, court visits and local community service events.
Share your favorite book or podcast – or an at-home resource or tip you’ve found particularly helpful.
My favorite book is "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith!
What does the election of Vice President Harris mean to you?
I had the pleasure of meeting Vice President Harris when she came to speak to a small group of 26 aspiring attorneys participating in the 2006 Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars Program (PLUS). I most remember her poise and conviction about her path. She encouraged us to continue working hard and pursuing our dreams despite the diversity challenges in organizations and institutions of law and justice. I am forever honored to have had that opportunity, and humbled by the possibilities that she has shown to women, and women of color in 2021 and beyond.
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Setting Up Your Member Profile |
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We encourage all members to take a moment to set up their personal profile on the Coalition website! These profiles will all feed into a database searchable by all members, and include fields for area of practice, years practicing, and more. The more information we have included, the more useful the tool will be.
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“Magic lies in challenging what seems impossible.”
--Carol Moseley Braun, the first African-American woman to serve in the
U.S. Senate. Moseley Braun represented Illinois from 1993 to 1999.
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